486 ME. O. SALVIN ON THE AVIFAUNA 



" I found seeds in the stomachs of almost all of the specimens of Cactornis obtained 

 on Indefatigable, whilst fibres of Ojiuntia were found in those from Bindloe. The 

 reason of this doubtless is to be found in the fact that in the former island are many 

 ponds of brackish water, where all the birds resort to drink. No such ponds exist on 

 Bindloe or Abingdon, still less springs of water. Consequently the birds are entirely 

 restricted for water to the morning dew and the drops produced by steam which, issuing 

 out of the crevices of the rocks, becomes condensed on the foliage of the surrounding 

 herbage. On Bindloe and Abingdon these bii'ds resort more to the juice of the succu- 

 lent leaves and fruit of the different species of Opuntia. Thus feeding, the feathers of 

 the face of these birds become matted together. Their food also includes some gravel 

 and insects." — //. 



Cactoenis assimilis. 

 Cactornis assimilis, Gould, P. Z. S. 1837, p. 7 ; Darwin, Zool. Voy. Beagle, iii. p. 105 ; Sol. & Salv. 

 P. Z. S. 1870, p. 333. 



6 hornot. fuliginosus, plumis singulis pallidiore fusco marginatis : subtus, prsecipue 

 in ventre imo et crisso, plumarum marginibus latioribus : rostro flavescenti-corneo, 

 pedibus corylinis: long, tota 5-0, alse 2-7, caudte 1-65, tarsi 0-8, rostri a rictu 0-75. 



S et d' juv. omnino similes sunt. 



Hah. Galapagos {Darwin) ; Bindloe Island {Habel). 



Obs. Sp. C. scandenti similis sed rostro robustiore forsan differt. 



None of Dr. Habel's birds are adult ; so that we have not yet seen that state of this 

 species, which differs only slightly from C. scandens, and may ultimately prove to be 

 not really distinct. Dr. Habel's note on it is as follows :— " All my specimens of this 

 species were shot whilst feeding on the cactus plants. From the agglutinated state of 

 the feathers of the face, which is more coinmonly seen in this than in other birds, it 

 would appear that it feeds almost exclusively on the cactus. One of the females had 

 very few feathers on the head and neck, and those badly trimmed in consequence of her 

 rubbing and scratching her head. This I found to be occasioned by the presence of 

 parasitic worms situated under the external covering of the skull." — //. 



Cactornis abingdoni. 

 Cactornis abingdoni, Salv. P. Z. S. 1870, p. 326. 



Fuscescenti-nigra, alls caudaque nigris fusco anguste limbatis : subtus nigra, ventre 

 fuscescentiore et griseo variegato : tectricibus subalaribus nigricantibus : rostro elongate 

 incurvo nigro : pedibus obscure fuscis: long, tota 5'0, alae 2'8, caudae 1'6, rostri a rictu 

 0-8, tarsi 0-9. 



Hob. Abingdon Island {Habel). 



Obs. Proxima C. scandenti, sed rostro elongate, magis compresso, nigro differt. 



The narowness and the black colour of the bill seem to distinguish this bii'd from 



